Kostrzewa - South Street Power Station tops economic agenda

Sunday

Jan 12, 2014 at 9:08 AM

City, Foundation to push renovation of power station

John Kostrzewa Assistant Managing Editor johnkostrzewa

City, Foundation to push renovation of power station

Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and Bill Hatfield, chairman of the Providence Foundation, won big rounds of applause at the Foundation's annual meeting last week when they listed the renovation of the South Street Power Station as one of the priorities in 2014.

"There is nothing more significant on our agenda than making this happen," said Hatfield.

The $206-million public-private renovation includes converting the power station into classrooms for a University of Rhode Island-Rhode Island College shared space nursing program, Brown University offices and a student apartment building. The universities are working with Connecticut-based developer Commonwealth Ventures.

The project still needs financing, including a commitment from the state to lease the space. That will be debated by the General Assembly this spring.

The morning after the Foundation meeting, the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce briefed its members on its legislative agenda and included the power plant project as its top economic development issue.

Hasbro CEO points to expansion of toys geared to girls

Brian Goldner, Hasbro's chairman and CEO, ran through the 90-year-old toymaker's history of innovation at the Foundation's gathering. He talked about the appreciation in Hasbro's stock price, the extension globally of the company's brand and the toy tie-ins to upcoming movies, including "Guardians of the Galaxy."

But he seemed most proud of the development of products for girls. Hasbro was historically known as a boys toy company. Remember G.I. Joe. But Goldner said one day seven or eight years ago his young daughter complained that the company made nothing for her. He got the message and Hasbro changed direction.

He said Hasbro's sales of girls toys have grown from $60,000 annually to about $1 billion in 2013, boosted by two hot holiday sellers -- "Equestrian Girls" and "Nerf Rebelle."

The annual meeting was held at Pawtucket-based Hasbro's year-old offices in downtown Providence, and Goldner accepted compliments from the attendees for bringing 300 jobs and many, young workers into the city.

Baudouin on the mend

Dan Baudouin, the Foundation's long-serving executive director, hobbled into the meeting with a cane after hip surgery and received many wishes for a swift recovery.

Mayor Taveras, after talking about fixing cracked sidewalks and potholed streets, joked that when he first saw Baudouin, he asked him if he had fallen on a city street.

"When he said, 'No' I didn't have anything else I needed to ask him any more," Taveras quipped.